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One more thing, you probably see those fancy tags after some users names like 'D1 Runner' or 'EMT'. If you're an elite runner looking for recognition or have something of use for the community, click here to apply!.

So my Dad, who used to run and has some bad knee troubles later in life, offered to buy me a nice pair of running shoes in order to prevent injuries. As a relative noob at running, and more importantly the gear, I don't really know what to look out for/ask for, etc. I'm willing to spend as much as $130-$150 for a very nice fitting shoe.

To clarify, the shop that I will be going to is a relatively local joint (one shop in town, 2-3 in neighboring towns) that specifically specializes in running sports.

TL;DR Want to buy as close to the "perfect" shoe as possible, what should I be looking for?

In all honesty - try a pile on, find what feels right for you. Let them have a look at your gait/style and give you some advice. If you are planning on putting in a lot of miles then you need to make sure that your first priority is comfort not style or anybody else opinion.

For what it's worth I switch between some Nike Lunarglides and Newton Distancias.

Also, be sure to tell them what you plan on doing with the shoes, your current mileage, your injury history, etc.

Understand that picking the right kind of shoe with the right level of support is a matter of experimentation, so feel free to ask for more shoes than just the ones they prescribe. Try them all out on a short run on a treadmill or around the store.

Remember, the important things are:

1. Fit -- if your feet don't fit the shoe, there's no point in wearing them. End of story.

2. Function -- based on your mileage, your injury history, how much/what training you're using for the shoe, etc.

3. Feel -- running around in the shoe should make you feel awesome. A lot of this depends on personal preference -- I hate soft shoes, for instance, but I'm sure others love the running-on-marshmallows feeling.

Other random tips:

Go at the end of the day, late afternoonish -- your feet swell over the course of the day, just as they will during running, so it's best to try on shoes then.

Everyone has there own preferences for shoes. I personally prefer a lighter cushion/neutral shoe (i have saucony cortanas at the moment). My father uses a stability shoe for support (some type of mizunos). For me it has been trial and error for finding the best shoe. The store I buy my shoes from, Fit2Run analyzed my feet and told me what type of shoes would work well for my type of foot.

In my experience I would stay away from nike for running shoes. I started with asics and now find them to be quite heavy. I had brooks glycerins for awhile and liked those, but wanted a lighter shoe hence the sauconys. For me mizunos mess with my knees when I run, but I know many people who use them.

My recommendation would be to just talk with an experienced runner salesman at that running store and get his opinion.

I'm not sure if you have one near where you live, but search for a store like Fleet Feet. They'll take a video of you running on a treadmill to check things like if/how you pronate and fit you with the best shoe for your running style and distance. The service is free too (though the shoes will be slightly more expensive than other places.)